Special guardianship financial support and assessment.

The request was successful.

Dear West Berkshire Council,

Can you please provide me with the following information regarding
Special guardianship financial support and assessment.

1) Does the council follow the DfE method
of assessing Special guardianship allowance. If not please provide
information as to the method used.

2) What is the maximum payment for a child.

a) Pre school age
b) Primary school age
c) Secondary school age
d) Over 16

3) Is the maximum payment based on recommended core foster care
rates. If not what is the maximum payment based on.

4) Does special guardianship rise each year in line with the
increase in core fostering rates.

5) Is the financial assessment where children were previously LAC
different to the financial assessment for children who were not
LAC.

6) What deductions, if any, are made from Special guardianship
allowance, ie, Child benefit, Child tax credit.

7) If a carer is in receipt of Income support are any deductions
made from Special Guardianship allowance, ie, Child Benefit, Child
tax credit

8) Are Special guardianship allowances time limited. If so how long for.

9) How many special guardians in the authority are currently being financially supported

10) How many Child arrangement orders are currently being financially supported

11) How many friends and family, (connected persons) foster carers are in the authority.

Yours faithfully,

Cassie Felton

foi, West Berkshire Council

FoI/2019/383

 

Dear Ms Felton,

 

Request for information: Special guardianship financial support and
assessment

 

Thank you for your request received 29^th April 2019; we will respond
within twenty working days.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Suzi Kenchington 

Information Compliance Officer

Strategic Support,

West Berkshire Council, Council Offices, Market Street, Newbury, RG14 5LD

email:  [1][email address]

' 01635 519860 (external)      '  2860 (internal)      

P Do you really need to print this email?

 

From: Cassie Felton [mailto:[FOI #565012 email]]
Sent: 29 March 2019 11:28
To: foi <[West Berkshire Council request email]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Special guardianship financial
support and assessment.

 

This is an EXTERNAL EMAIL. STOP. THINK before you CLICK links or OPEN
attachments.

Dear West Berkshire Council,

Can you please provide me with the following information regarding
Special guardianship financial support and assessment.

1) Does the council follow the DfE method
of assessing Special guardianship allowance. If not please provide
information as to the method used.

2) What is the maximum payment for a child.

a) Pre school age
b) Primary school age
c) Secondary school age
d) Over 16

3) Is the maximum payment based on recommended core foster care
rates. If not what is the maximum payment based on.

4) Does special guardianship rise each year in line with the
increase in core fostering rates.

5) Is the financial assessment where children were previously LAC
different to the financial assessment for children who were not
LAC.

6) What deductions, if any, are made from Special guardianship
allowance, ie, Child benefit, Child tax credit.

7) If a carer is in receipt of Income support are any deductions
made from Special Guardianship allowance, ie, Child Benefit, Child
tax credit

8) Are Special guardianship allowances time limited. If so how long for.

9) How many special guardians in the authority are currently being
financially supported

10) How many Child arrangement orders are currently being financially
supported

11) How many friends and family, (connected persons) foster carers are in
the authority.

Yours faithfully,

Cassie Felton

-------------------------------------------------------------------

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[2][FOI #565012 email]

Is [3][West Berkshire Council request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information
requests to West Berkshire Council? If so, please contact us using this
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show quoted sections

foi, West Berkshire Council

FoI/2019/383

 

Dear Ms Felton,

 

Request for information: Special guardianship financial support and
assessment

 

Please see below the Council’s response to your request for information.

 

You have asked;

 

1)     Does the council follow the DfE method of assessing Special
guardianship allowance. If not please provide information as to the method
used.

The Council uses a means test.

2) What is the maximum payment for a child.
a) Pre school age - £144.41
b) Primary school age - £164.50
c) Secondary school age - £204.78
d) Over 16 - £249.06
3) Is the maximum payment based on recommended core foster care rates. If
not what is the maximum payment based on.

Yes

4) Does special guardianship rise each year in line with the increase in
core fostering rates.

No

5) Is the financial assessment where children were previously LAC
different to the financial assessment for children who were not  LAC.

No
6) What deductions, if any, are made from Special guardianship allowance,
ie, Child benefit, Child tax credit.

None
7) If a carer is in receipt of Income support are any deductions made from
Special Guardianship allowance, ie, Child Benefit, Child tax credit

No
8) Are Special guardianship allowances time limited. If so how long for.

Only if the Guardians don’t qualify anymore, after the annual financial
assessment.
9) How many special guardians in the authority are currently being
financially supported

94

10) How many Child arrangement orders are currently being financially
supported

31
11) How many friends and family, (connected persons) foster carers are in
the authority.

22

If you are unhappy with the way your request has been handled, you may ask
for an internal review. You should contact The FoI Reviewing Officer,
Strategic Support, Council Offices, Market Street, Newbury RG14 5LD, email
[1][email address]  if you wish to request a review. If you are not
content with the outcome of the internal review, you have the right to
apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. The
Information Commissioner can be contacted at:

Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow,
Cheshire SK9 5AF

 

If you have any queries about this letter, please contact me.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Suzi Kenchington 

Information Compliance Officer

Strategic Support,

West Berkshire Council, Council Offices, Market Street, Newbury, RG14 5LD

email:  [2][email address]

' 01635 519860 (external)      '  2860 (internal)      

P Do you really need to print this email?

 

From: Cassie Felton [[3]mailto:[FOI #565012 email]]
Sent: 29 March 2019 11:28
To: foi <[4][West Berkshire Council request email]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Special guardianship financial
support and assessment.

 

This is an EXTERNAL EMAIL. STOP. THINK before you CLICK links or OPEN
attachments.

Dear West Berkshire Council,

Can you please provide me with the following information regarding
Special guardianship financial support and assessment.

1) Does the council follow the DfE method
of assessing Special guardianship allowance. If not please provide
information as to the method used.

2) What is the maximum payment for a child.

a) Pre school age
b) Primary school age
c) Secondary school age
d) Over 16

3) Is the maximum payment based on recommended core foster care
rates. If not what is the maximum payment based on.

4) Does special guardianship rise each year in line with the
increase in core fostering rates.

5) Is the financial assessment where children were previously LAC
different to the financial assessment for children who were not
LAC.

6) What deductions, if any, are made from Special guardianship
allowance, ie, Child benefit, Child tax credit.

7) If a carer is in receipt of Income support are any deductions
made from Special Guardianship allowance, ie, Child Benefit, Child
tax credit

8) Are Special guardianship allowances time limited. If so how long for.

9) How many special guardians in the authority are currently being
financially supported

10) How many Child arrangement orders are currently being financially
supported

11) How many friends and family, (connected persons) foster carers are in
the authority.

Yours faithfully,

Cassie Felton

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[5][FOI #565012 email]

Is [6][West Berkshire Council request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information
requests to West Berkshire Council? If so, please contact us using this
form:
[7]https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/change_re...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[8]https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/offi...

For more detailed guidance on safely disclosing information, read the
latest advice from the ICO:
[9]https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/ico-...

Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will
be delayed.

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

show quoted sections

Dear foi,

Thank you for your response.
Could you please clarify your reply to Q1.

If you do not use the DfE means test, please provide details of the method you use to calculate allowances

Yours sincerely,

Cassie Felton

foi, West Berkshire Council

1 Attachment

FoI/2019/383

Dear Ms Felton,

Request for information: Special guardianship financial support and
assessment

Thank you for your email. Please find attached a copy of the means test
used by Children and Family services.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Suzi Kenchington 

Information Compliance Officer

Strategic Support,

West Berkshire Council, Council Offices, Market Street, Newbury, RG14 5LD

email:  [1][email address]

' 01635 519860 (external)      '  2860 (internal)      

P Do you really need to print this email?

 

From: Cassie Felton [mailto:[FOI #565012 email]]
Sent: 25 April 2019 20:11
To: foi <[West Berkshire Council request email]>
Subject: Re: FoI/2019/383- Felton

 

This is an EXTERNAL EMAIL. STOP. THINK before you CLICK links or OPEN
attachments.

Dear foi,

Thank you for your response.
Could you please clarify your reply to Q1.

If you do not use the DfE means test, please provide details of the method
you use to calculate allowances

Yours sincerely,

Cassie Felton

show quoted sections